A Monte Carlo model for polarized light propagation in birefringent, optically active, multiply scattering media is developed in an effort to accurately represent the propagation of polarized light in biological tissue. The model employs the Jones N-matrix formalism to combine both linear birefringence and optical activity into a single effect that can be applied to photons as they propagate between scattering events. Polyacrylamide phantoms with strain-induced birefringence, sucrose-induced optical activity, and polystyrene microspheres as scattering particles are used for experimental validation. Measurements are made using a Stokes polarimeter that detects scattered light in different geometries, and compared to the results of Monte Carlo simulations run with similar parameters. The results show close agreement between the experimental measurements and Monte Carlo calculations for phantoms exhibiting turbidity and birefringence, as well as for phantoms exhibiting turbidity, birefringence, and optical activity. Other scattering-independent polarization properties can be incorporated into the developed Jones N-matrix formalism, enabling quantification of the polarization effects via an accurate polarization-sensitive Monte Carlo model.

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The effects of turbid chiral media on light polarization are studied in different directions around the scattering samples using a refined linear Stokes polarimeter, which simplifies the signal analysis, and allows for the detailed investigations of scattered light. Because no moving parts are involved in a measurement at a specific detection direction, the determination accuracy of polarization states is increased. The results show that light depolarization increases with both turbidity and detection angle for low and moderately turbid samples; however, the angular dependence decreases with increasing turbidity. When the turbidity is increased to approximately 100 cm(-1), the depolarization becomes higher in the forward than in the backward direction. Polarization sensitive Monte Carlo simulations are used to verify some experimental observations. The results also demonstrate that surviving linear polarization fraction and overall intensity are more sensitive to the increase of glucose concentration in backward than in the forward direction in highly turbid media, indicating that backward geometry may be preferable for potential glucose detection in a biomedical context. Comparison measurements with optically inactive glycerol suggest that the refractive index matching effect, and not the chiral nature of the solute, dominates the observed optical rotation engendered by glucose in highly turbid media.

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